


Venting, Back Rubs, and Snuggles

by wonderfulwizardofthozz



Series: 12 Fics of Christmas [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Comfort, Gen, I hope you like it!, Miraculous Ladybug Secret Santa 2017, and very friendshippy, btw the rating is just to be safe since there's slight innuendo, but only very slight and if you squint, it's cute and fluffy, on the second fic of Christmas my true love gave to me...a secret santa gift!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 08:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13142565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderfulwizardofthozz/pseuds/wonderfulwizardofthozz
Summary: After a tiff with his father, Adrien heads to Marinette's to calm down, and she has an interesting solution.Part of the 2017 Miraculous Ladybug Secret Santa!





	Venting, Back Rubs, and Snuggles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mitchkat1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitchkat1/gifts).



Marinette yawned as she was tucking herself into bed. Though the day had been satisfying, it had also been long. An akuma had struck right after she was let out of her internship for the day, and she'd come home to the bakery to organize her things because she was finally making enough to be able to move out (not that she was  _ officially  _ looking yet, but it never hurt to be prepared).

Her phone alerted her to a message from an unknown number just as she was about to turn her light off.

_ [can I come visit for a little bit?] _

The cat emoji at the end of the message gave away his identity, and she smiled as she typed her reply.

_ [Sure thing, come in through the balcony. I'll unlock the door for you :)] _

Chat Noir dropped his transformation as soon as he landed on the floor a minute later, immediately kicking off his shoes and climbing up to cuddle with the stuffed ladybug pillow Marinette kept on her bed just for him.

“Well, hey.” She reached over and rubbed his back, careful to avoid his tickle spots. “What’s up?”

Adrien groaned into the pillow. “My stupid father.”

She frowned. “What did he do this time?”

“Does it even matter at this point? It’s been three months since The Argument™, and the only times I can actually look him in the eye anymore are when I’m having yet another argument with him! He takes no regard for my feelings, steamrolls me when I’m trying to say anything, and overall acts like a bitter old iguana.”

Marinette snorted. “Bitter old iguana...yeah, I know, honey. I’m sorry he keeps acting this way.”

“Me, too.” Adrien flopped over onto his back. “I’m sick of it. I want out.”

“Yeah.” She bit her lip, thinking. “Well, what if we got a flat together?”

He looked over at her, surprised. “Wait, really?”

“I mean, I’m making enough to afford it, and I don’t really want to live alone. Tikki doesn’t count because she can’t run to the store when I inevitably forget things. Besides, I’ve been thinking about it lately, and I’d love to have you with me.”

He shook his head. “I can’t ask you to do that for me.”

“You're not. I'm offering.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, sizing each other up.

Adrien spoke first. “Okay. Okay, let's do it.”

Marinette reached over and squeezed his hand, a huge smile on her face. “I'm so excited.”

“One condition: two bedrooms.”

“Obviously. You snore too much, plus all the other noise you need to sleep.”

“You like it too hot. That can't be healthy for you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. We'll figure it out. But I think two bedrooms would put everybody else at ease, too.”

He toyed with the fringe on her blanket, a distant but happy look on his face. “Not our beloved Alya. She's still trying to get us to date each other.”

Marinette heaved a dramatic sigh. “She's worse than your grandmother! Like, let us worry about dating when the evil of Paris is cleansed and we have free time on our hands.”

“You mean when we kill my father.”

“Don't be silly, Adrien. We're not gonna actually—oh my gosh, you're Prince Zuko! Minus the redemption arc, since you're already perfect.”

“Hush, you. I'm missing a crazy younger sister and a kind, mentoring uncle.”

“Master Fu counts as a kind, mentoring uncle. And I think you could technically count Chloé as a crazy younger sister.”

Adrien's eyes went very wide as he considered her points. “I  _ am _ Prince Zuko.”

Marinette laughed. “I told you.”

Adrien was quiet for a minute, sinking into himself while he chewed his lip. “He got mad at me because I wouldn't tell him what Nino wanted to talk about when he called me in the middle of dinner.”

She slowly turned her head toward him, having a hard time wrapping her head around the information. “What?”

“Well, Nino called when we were in the middle of dinner, so I excused myself to answer it since he’s traveling. When I came back, my father asked what it was about, and so I told him that Nino just needed someone to listen to him for a few minutes and then give him some advice. Goodness knows why people ask me for advice, but that's beside the point. The point is that I wouldn't tell him because it's Nino's personal business, not his, and he got mad at me! I'm still reeling from it, honestly. ‘We tell each other everything in this house.’ Yeah, right. When were you gonna tell me about being Paris’ number one enemy? Does he have any fathomable concept of how little I tell him now that I'm an adult?” He shook his head. “It's all so stupid. I can't take it anymore.”

Marinette gently pushed him onto his stomach and sat on his bottom so she could rub his back. “I'm sorry about all that. But we will be moving out soon enough, and then you can take all the time you need to heal before restarting your relationship with him.”

He relaxed under her hands with a soft sound of appreciation. “How are you so good at this? The emotional stuff and rubbing my back and just...being you?”

She worked her thumbs into the skin above his hips. “Well, I had a stable, loving home environment to grow up in.”

“That doesn't explain the back rubs.”

“Oh, that comes naturally.”

“If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to butter me up for something else.”

“It's a good thing I'm not then, huh?”

Adrien nodded. “Probably. We both know that neither of us is in a good emotional place for that.”

“Yes, I know. That’s why I’m gonna sit here and rub your back until you start to feel better.”

“Hmm. You’re the best.”

She rubbed in circles along his spine. “Oh, I meant to tell you that I got an invitation to Rose and Juleka’s wedding yesterday.”

“Now that you mention it, I got one, too. I didn’t remember it until you said something with everything that’s been going on.”

“Don’t worry; I kind of figured that would happen, so I made sure to RSVP for the both of us this morning.”

That knowledge lifted his heart, so he grinned and told her, “Gosh, I love you.”

She flopped on top of him, nestling her cheek between his shoulders. “I know.”

“You finally watched Star Wars!”

Marinette giggled and rolled off of him. “Yes, I finally watched Star Wars. I had Nino over when he was visiting from Italy and you were in New York.”

Adrien rolled and pulled her close. “Yeah, I was sad to miss him, but obviously we still talk all the time. How’s Alya doing with it?”

“Oh, she’s ‘not interested’ in him, remember? They’re worse than we are, I swear. Just admit that you like each other and move on with it so the rest of us can quit trying to get you together. Not that we have any room to talk, but still. We at least acknowledge it, you know? We just have other priorities, like saving Paris on a daily basis and getting you through school.”

He poked her hip. “And getting  _ you _ through school, silly. You still need to finish that business degree.”

She grabbed his hand so he’d stop. “Hey, the internship was a great opportunity, and it’ll count for credit.”

“I know. I just don’t want you to lose sight of it when you’re so close to being done.”

“I’m trying, babe. I’m really trying.”

“I believe in you.” Adrien kissed her head and snuggled closer. “You’re an excellent snugglebug.”

She gave a fake gasp. “Even when I do the kitty fat song?”

“Marinette, I don’t have any kitty fat.”

“I know. It’s tragic. What’s a kitty cat without his kitty fat?”

“Hey, I can’t help it that I’m pure muscle. Raw adrenaline. Two of Paris’ finest bachelors.” He flexed an arm, pretending to admire what he saw.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“Hey, I backflipped off the Eiffel Tower last week and didn’t die.”

“Because I saved you, you nerd. And the only reason you did that was because of the akuma, not to be cool.”

“...It was a  _ little _ to be cool.”

Marinette paused. “Adrien?”

“Yes?”

“What in the hell were you thinking?”

“That you’d save me and it would be okay?”

“While you’re correct, I’m not sure that’s how you should’ve been looking at it. Just be careful, silly.”

“Whatever you say, my Lady.” Adrien kissed her head again and closed his eyes. “Can I stay here tonight?”

She relaxed into his embrace. “Is your father expecting you in the morning?”

“...Maybe.”

“Um, no. I’m not having you get into another argument with him.”

“But your bed is comfy. And  _ you’re  _ comfy.” Adrien squeezed her to prove his point.

“While both are true, maybe let’s preserve what little relationship you have left at this point. I want you to leave on a happy note because nothing’s going to get better in the future if you don’t.”

“You know, I usually like it when you’re right, but not in this case. Right now, It’s just annoying.”

“Because you’re still annoyed with him, and that’s okay. He needs to own up to his actions, and it’s perfectly understandable for you to be upset about it, but you also need to act like an adult since you are one. Go home, face it in the morning, and we’ll start looking for flats sometime this week. This situation isn’t permanent.”

“Thank you, Marinette. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Probably backflip off the Eiffel Tower anyway.”

He snorted. “True.” He sat up and stretched, messing up her blankets in the process. “I’ll have to find Plagg. Guess it’s time to go home and go to bed.”

“And time to let  _ me  _ go to bed. I have work in the morning.”

Adrien looked at her clock and immediately felt bad. “Mari, you shouldn’t have let me keep you up so late. It could’ve waited until tomorrow.”

Marinette shrugged a shoulder. “It was important. Besides, sometimes we do dumb things when we know that someone we love is going to take care of us.” She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

Adrien kissed her cheek in return. “I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas!!
> 
> I had so much fun participating in the MLSS this year, and this is the piece I came up with! I haven't had time to check out mitchkat1's work yet because I've been busy moving, but I'm sure they're amazing and you should go check them out!
> 
> I'd also like to thank my fanfiction wives Leisey and livinglittlelie for being marvelous. Fun fact! It's my one year anniversary of meeting Leisey because I was her secret Santa last year, and it's been a wonderful year of getting to know her. I love you guys!
> 
> The other 12 Fics of Christmas are coming, they'll just be late because, like I said, I moved! So, while I'm excited, I've been crazy busy. Be on the lookout for those!
> 
> Have a good holiday season and a happy new year!  
> xoxo -wwot


End file.
